KNEC introduced a new grading system to enhance final KCSE grades
To enhance the final KCSE grades, KNEC has implemented a new grading system. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is creating a new grading scheme for Form Four applicants utilizing the 8-4-4 system.
According to Chief Executive David Njengere, the examinations recommended by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) were primarily summative for certification and placement.
The grading system has been in use in Kenya for a very long time, and despite some minor adjustments, PWPER identified the issue and demanded a reevaluation of the grading system after recognizing how persistent it had grown to be.
The working group asserts that English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, two scientific areas, and two more courses make up the seven disciplines covered in the KCSE grading system. This causes harm to certain students because they are not given credit for their finest topic if it is not included in the cluster.
While Math and any Science topic gauges a learner’s arithmetic skills, English and Kiswahili test their reading aptitude.
“We have tried to make small changes to the grading system here and there for a very long time,” the official stated. I’m delighted PWPER identified that problem and recommended that we evaluate our grading system.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi was presiding over the 39th Annual Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) Conference when he made this declaration.
The three top-performing subjects—Mathematics, English, or Kiswahili—along with five additional courses, according to PWPER, should be used by KNEC to calculate the average score for the KCSE exam.
He claimed that the fact that Kenya does better than other anglophone nations like Zambia, Tanzania, and Uganda must be addressed.
The CEO reminded the audience that even though we are moving away from the 8-4-4 structure, we still have five groups. We’ll look at the PWPER requirements and offer an idea for how grading may be altered.
“If we register over 900,000 candidates annually, that amounts to close to 5 million candidates, so we must find a way to ensure we mitigate the effects of grading that have a negative impact on the outcomes,” the speaker stated.
We’re investigating it, and we’ll call a meeting of all parties concerned to discuss how to change the grading system.
A norm-referenced and criterion-referenced summative evaluation is given at the conclusion of the elementary and secondary school cycles, respectively, according to the PWPER report.
With the exception of a few secondary school areas that require practical and project work, school-based assessments are given during the learning process but do not affect the final grade.
Njengere said there was no need to fear about the next national tests, which are scheduled for around two months from now, and urged parents to resist being persuaded into buying fake exam materials.
Njengere went on to remark that the nation must figure out how to develop procedures that are effective enough to thwart attempts at fraud.
According to Njengere, trust is an essential element of assessment, and Kenyans should be aware that teachers are present for the majority of the academic year, assuring teachers that they have been professional and impartial in their evaluation practices.
He asserted that since KNEC started using the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in 2019, the results have demonstrated the professionalism of the teachers.
During this time, Mudavadi urged African governments to give education reforms top priority since they will ensure that all pupils have an equal chance to succeed.
He praised the function of assessors and examiners and added that they ascertain each learner’s actual expertise within the educational system.
The products you have developed are used by governments to make investments, policies, job placements, evaluations, and changes. Given that logisticians often succeed in enticing millions of youths with yells and salutations…
The fact that your logistical effort is frequently higher because you are contacting more people yet have not yet received any petitions, in Mudavadi’s opinion, shows that you are doing something well.
Belio Kipsang, principal secretary for education, asked the delegates to consider if educational evaluation in Africa is having the desired results because it is critical to comprehend how other nations approach their particular issues.
